[NR] New Oklahoma Tax Law and Merchants

Decker, Terry D. TerryD at Health.State.OK.US
Wed Aug 6 07:35:08 PDT 2003


The State of Oklahoma requires that out of state vendors collect sales tax
and send a sales tax form and the collected taxes to the Tax Commission.
Tax Commission employees have been showing up at MedFaire every year to
deliver the forms and check on compliance and AFAIK there has never been a
problem.  It is a simple, straight-forward process.

The new law is probably meant to help enforce compliance of the current law
by making organizers of an event responsible for tax evasion by their
vendors.  Remember that a lot of gun show vendors work at ducking
regulations including taxes.

Oklahoma vendors should not be affect as they should have valid sales tax
permits and be collecting sales tax already.

If I were a vendor from one of the surrounding states making regular forays
into Oklahoma, I would think seriously about getting a regular sales tax
permit.  With the revenue shortfalls, Oklahoma is going to be seriously
looking for more money and failing to obtain a permit and file sales tax is
(or was, possibly) a $500 fine on top of the tax owed.  A sales tax permit
is only $20 for three years and, usually, filing a quarterly one page form
with a check for any tax due.

You can reach Taxpayer Assistance at (405) 521-3160 (Oklahoma City) and
(918) 581-2399 (Tulsa).  They should be able to direct any interested
parties to more information.

Bear

>    Oklahoma passed a new law in May that went into effect in 
> July.  It appears that this law would have the effect og 
> making SCA groups in Oklahoma responsable for collecting and 
> sending to the State of Oklahoma sales tax collected from 
> merchants who sell at our events.  At this time it is not 
> clear how this applies to us or what proceedures need to be 
> implimented to enforce this policy.  The matter is being 
> looked into.  
>    Until we understand how this effects us and what we need 
> to do to be in compliance, the Kingdom Seneschal has banned 
> all merchanting at SCA events in Oklahoma.  She hopes to be 
> able to lift this ban by October.  
>    This is all the information I have on this at this time.  
> 
> Robert Fitzmorgan
> Northern Regional Seneschal
 



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